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How would you describe your playing style?
- Thread starter Jordy4strings
- Start date
Delusional .... Love playing for sure but at best I have ' fleeting moments of adequacy " - entirely self taught by a tin eared instructor who I'd sue for incompetency if I could but I expect no judge would allow me to sue myself ! ..... Kelly
Whatever is needed, asked for, or expected.
A 'well dressed' musician understands and can hang with any style needed.
A 'well dressed' musician understands and can hang with any style needed.
Sounds like you might be getting close to finding that brown note?
Getting there!
I remember reading a John Myung interview, and he cited Tony Levin as an influence in this way (paraphrasing): "You could drop a bomb on his bass lines and they'd still work." So, no matter what style I'm playing, that's what I strive for. Play with the right tone, taste, and timing. That may mean fingerstyle, pick, thumb, muted, effects, however many strings, fretless, etc. I took that Myung nugget of serving the song and applied it to being diverse and appropriate in whatever context.
Utilitarian and fairly basic, with a few surprises tossed in. Slidey and bendy and not too busy, but I'll toss in a tasty lick just to keep things interesting. But the most fun when the tasty lick is done is the power that comes from returning to the pocket in an authoritative way at just the right time.
I'd say agressive, solid & tasteful. i'd also like to think,melodic & musical. but mostly solid with a fat chunky tone.
Let's pretend that I'm being interviewed for a big ignorant fashion magazine like Rolling Rock:
Q.: So, Dan, how important do you think you are?
A.: I'm glad you asked that! It's hard to overstate my greatness! I influence everybody! I use Medium Ultra Flat Strings, on my Custom Signature 9 String Vintage Solid Unobtanium Bass, through a FlippedOver Class A Amplifier. By the way, I wear size 17EEEE New Balance shoes, over Bombas crew height wicking socks.
What else do you want to know about me?
Q.: So, Dan, don't you have somewhere else you need to be?
Q.: So, Dan, how important do you think you are?
A.: I'm glad you asked that! It's hard to overstate my greatness! I influence everybody! I use Medium Ultra Flat Strings, on my Custom Signature 9 String Vintage Solid Unobtanium Bass, through a FlippedOver Class A Amplifier. By the way, I wear size 17EEEE New Balance shoes, over Bombas crew height wicking socks.
What else do you want to know about me?
Q.: So, Dan, don't you have somewhere else you need to be?
Jack of all (musical) trades; master of none...which, luckily, keeps me very steadily employed!
I replied before with humor. Here comes the truth.
I am the player that the person who hire me wants me to be - within reason.
Jazzer, rocker, funk, soul, blues, Emo - you name it, I play it when the tapes rolling. If its a gig for a cover band, in many case, you will get a note for note playback.
What I don't do:
I don't slap, but i finger funk which apparently sounds just the same to some guitarists.
I don't play upright anymore. I haven't signed the divorce papers but we have been separated for almost a year.
I plays gigs, but I don't do bands. If I come on a project, I play my bass lines. I politely don't give a crap that you had Tommy Shannon or whoever play on your CD. If you want that bass line in a band, go get him, unless you are Lenny Kravitz. And if you are Lenny Kravitz, yes, I will shave my head and play it note for note like Gail does (a true pro).
I am the player that the person who hire me wants me to be - within reason.
Jazzer, rocker, funk, soul, blues, Emo - you name it, I play it when the tapes rolling. If its a gig for a cover band, in many case, you will get a note for note playback.
What I don't do:
I don't slap, but i finger funk which apparently sounds just the same to some guitarists.
I don't play upright anymore. I haven't signed the divorce papers but we have been separated for almost a year.
I plays gigs, but I don't do bands. If I come on a project, I play my bass lines. I politely don't give a crap that you had Tommy Shannon or whoever play on your CD. If you want that bass line in a band, go get him, unless you are Lenny Kravitz. And if you are Lenny Kravitz, yes, I will shave my head and play it note for note like Gail does (a true pro).
This is a fantastic description! I can finally say I've encountered one of those words I learned in high school that I never thought I'd use.
My style is me.
Nobody else does it better, although others are better at being them than I am at being them.
Or as my T-shirt says--"World's okayest bass player"
Nobody else does it better, although others are better at being them than I am at being them.
Or as my T-shirt says--"World's okayest bass player"
